I will remember you
by clay-autumn
Summary: After session seven...'I will remember you happen again..Please r r
1. Chapter 1

_**I will remember you**_

_**Note: As I'm a huge Bangel-Shipper I absolutely loved the episode "I will remember you". It was just so damn unfair that they never got another shot to be happy again. So I have spent the recent part of a sunbright afternoon to check out vids on youtube for inspiration. And here we go.**_

_**This story starts after the destruction of Sunnydale. Buffy and her friends don't know where to go. So Xander comes up with the idea to pay at least one visit to Angel, for he was supposed to take part in this final battle. And, Xander thinks, Angel as every right to know that they'd won and that the war is over. For this moment at last. Buffy agrees to it, not knowing how this will effect herself and her ex-boyfriend... The Oracles (or whatever they are called in english) are astonished to sense such strong feelings from both of them for each other...And they decide to interfere in a most unusual way – unusual for them anyway...**_

**1.****Where do we go from here?**

Buffy Summers stood there on a big, grey rock and stared over the ruins that was once her hometown. How she hated it at first... She didn't want to leave LA at the first place. But then she had decided to make the best of it, tried to lead a normal life. But then she met Rupert Giles. Her watcher and the librarian of her former High School.He told her exactly what she didn't want to hear: That she had to slay vampires. But she didn't want to do it anymore. She had promised to stay out of trouble. Not only her parents, but she had made the same promise to her principal Bob Flutie. Her principal was nice – at least he was nice until he had read her record. But still, it could have been worse. Far worse, like vampires on the campus. Which happend on her very first day. And after meeting Angel (his name made her still smile, even after such a long time) she accepted that she had no real option but to continue. But this time it was different: She had real friends, who accepted her just the way she was. And Giles was the father that her own father couldn't be for her. She had started to get happy. And she was. All this time, she was happy. But it wasn't until now, as she looked over the ruins of her former home, that she realised how happy she was and how much she loved this town. Regardless whatever she had said about it. All this happy memories... How she walked with Angel through the streets on Christmas Eve – the only night that snow had fallen since this town had existed. How she went to prom and Angel showed up. How they destroyed their school... Her mother was burried here. And so was she – even it is was just six month, technically. But Buffy knew that she would carry those memories with her, whereever she would go. During this 5 years she had lived here, so many things had happend – good ones and bad ones and not to mention the painful ones...

"Buffy?" a soft voice called out behind her and brought her back to reality. She didn't need to turn around to know who was calling her.

"It's okay, Xander. I'm coming", she called and with one last glance back she hopped off that rock lighty and walked slowly to the waiting trailer.

"Everything okay?" Giles asked as soon as his eyes catched the expression shown clearly on Buffy's face.

"Not really", she confessed with a little shrug. " I just thought about what I, we, have lost. It was our home. And I have loved it."

"Sure you have loved it", he said, trying to soothe her. "We all have loved it. But we should look onward, not backward, Buffy. Maybe this is a new start, for all of us."

"Maybe you're right. But where are we going? I'm not sure, my Dad would take me, let alone all of us."

"We'll find a place to stay", Giles assured her and put a comforting arm around her. "And until that time we'll have the trailer."

Buffy picked up on the word 'we'. Did that mean...? She didn't dare to voice her hopes in case she was wrong, but still she had to know.

"Are you staying then?", demanded Xander and stared at Giles in disbelieve before Buffy could say anything. Obviously he had picked up the magic word as well.

"Only if you want me to stay", he answered slowly.

"Of course we want you to stay", Dawn screamed in utter delight and jumped into Giles' arms. "We'd absoluty love to have you here! Don't we?"

"Of course", Buffy said warmly. "Dawn is right. We've missed you. We all have missed you."

"I've missed you, too. But I'll not stay forever. I'm going back to England eventually. But", he added hastily, "I'll come back as often as I can. At least every three months. But for now, I'll stay and help you as good as I can."

"That's sounds like a good plan to me and you are always welcome", Buffy said and took a look at the people around her.

Her sister Dawn, the only family she had now. Xander and Willow, her oldest friends where, as always, by her side. For that she loved them even more. They never thought about leaving her. Faith, who saw at least the right side. Maybe they could be friends now. Kennedy, Melinda, Gianna, Susan, Lee – the life had changed for all of them. Forever. And the slayer felt sorry for that. They where so young and innocent... They deserved a better life. But, alas, every slayer so far hadn't deserved such a faith. But at least they weren't alone anymore. Giles. She couldn't believe that he was going to stay. Even if it wasn't forever. But he would come back. He'd promised. Her thoughts strayed to the fallen comrades. Anya – oh, what a nightmare a revangedemon could be. But in the end she was a friend...Spike. It was painfull to think about the platine blonde vampire, who charmend her heart in the end. If it was love, Buffy wasn't quite sure. But Spike was a friend, a good friend and his loss was devastating for her. The slayerettes, who died before Willow had spoken the spell... They where so young...

"Buffy?" This time it was Dawn who brought her out of her misery. "Are you really okay?"

"I'll be okay, Dawny", the blonde slayer promised her sister. "But it's still so fresh. I need time to get over that."

Dawn nodded in agreemend. She understood that, really. She'll need time herself, that was for sure. 'And I'll do my best to help her getting over it. Like she helps me getting over it', the brunette youngster thought. She took her sister's hand and squeezed it to show that she would be there for her. Buffy seemed to understand her because she returned the gesture with a little smile.

"So, where do we go?", asked Kennedy, one of the new slayers who stood next to Willow. "I mean, we can't stand here forever. And we can't live in the trailor for a long time. It's too small for all of us."  
"That's too right, Kenn. But what's your suggestion?", asked Willow, the red haired witch. "I don't know where to go. My parents don't talk to me, so that's out of the question. And other relatives I don't have. Except an uncle, but he's living in Canada."

"I like Canada", Kennedy joked. "Maybe we can visit him sometime."  
"Oh I would be carefull what you wish, Kenny", Xander said darkly. "He seems nice at the first sight. But basicly he is just horrid."

"Shut up, Xander! Uncle Cal is okay. Most of the time anyway. And besides: Who is perfect?" Willow shot an angry look at Xander, but the dark haired man didn't seem put out about that.

"Yeah, you're right", he agreed. "But I have an idea."

"About what?", Dawn asked curiously.

"About where we can go. Why don't we go to LA. I think Angel has more than enough rooms for all of us. He has a hotel, doesn't he?"

"He has. But I don't know", mumbled Buffy, "maybe he doesn't wanna see any of us."

"Why shouldn't he?" objected Xander. "I think he has the right to know that the war is over, that the world is save once more. And more than that: He wants to know that you are safe, Buffy."

Buffy didn't answer but blushed a crimson shade of red. Xander smiled to himself for he knew that Buffy had never stopped to love Angel. Not really. And maybe they could get a second, no third chance. They would deserve it, regardless how he disliked Angel.

The rest of the little group was all for going to LA and so Buffy had to give in. The blonde slayer knew that this solution made the most sence. But she would rather ran into a 250 pound Chikkarro demon without weapons than to admit that. And also she wanted to see Angel again, too. Their last meeting seemed ages away., Could it really be just three days ago? She smiled slightly as the memory of their last face to face meeting came into her mind. They had just taken one look at each other and had started kissing fiercly without so much as a hello. But Buffy had send him away. To save him as long as she could. She knew her vampire-ex too good as to hope that he would stay out of trouble. But she wasn't willing to lead him into the mainfight without precaution. Angel drove back to LA to wait for Sunnydale to fall. Which, lituraly, would have started the end of the world. He and his team would have done their best to prevent that. So Xander was right again. Angel had to know that they where save and sound. And the news of Sunnydale disappearing would be the hot news at the Breaking News on CNN.

In next to no time they where on the Highway heading right to the city of the angels.

tbc...

**_Another note: I'm from Germany and I thought I tried a fanfic in english...So please tell me if I did any mistakes. That's the only way I can improve my terrible englishsmile_**

**_And finaly: Please be patience with me. This chapter alone tok almost two weeks...I may not write regulary, but I'll write..._**

**_See you_**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Sorry guys for taking such a long time. I didn't thought it would take SO long. First I had to work really much and security guard isn't a laughing matter. Then I was on holidays in Spain for two weeks with my gran and mum. Not to mention my study which kept me occupied a long time. But now I'm finished with these chap. My biggest thanks goes to WellxWisher, who did a great job with these chap as a beta reader. I just put one sentence in it without her knowledge - but on her advice. So I do hope she forgives me for doing it. So anyway, enjoy it.  
**_

2. A new home?

After a three and a half hour-long drive (the trailer didn't go over 60 miles per hour) they parked at last in the front of the hotel. A small, plain silver sign was attached next to the big front door: _Angel Investigations_. 'Oh God, what am I doing? What if he doesn't wanna see me? If he throws me out?', Buffy thought with weak knees as she read the sign. 'I don't think I could stand it. And if he let us stay, how will he handle beeing around me? How will I handle beeing around him?'

She heaved a heavy sigh, reached out and knocked. They had to wait just a few seconds before the door was pulled open by a brown-haired man with stubble around his chin and glasses on his nose.

"Wesley!" Buffy smiled at the man in front of her. "How have you been?"

"Buffy? Is it really you?" exclaimed the man named Wesley and pulled her in a tight hug. "Thank heavens you're alive!"

"Yes, I live. Did you expect anything less from me?" she teased, hoping it would lighten the mood. It did help; Wesley laughed and stepped aside to let them in.

"Sit down", he said, indicating the cream-colored sofas in the hall. "Do you want anything? Coke? Water? Juice? Beer?"

"Thanks. I'll take a ginger ale if you have any. Otherwise a coke will do." With a grateful nod Buffy slumped down on one of the sofas and closed her eyes. She was so tired she could happily sleep for a hundred years. She listened as her female friends ordered coke and the males, Xander and Giles, ordered beer.

"You must tell me everything: What happened in Sunnydale? Is the city, the world, safe?" asked Wesley as he put down the drinks and took a seat next to Buffy.

But before anyone could answer a tall, black - haired man entered the room in a hurry, worry clearly etched on his face as he swept past the sofas and reached for the remote on the table to switch on CNN.

"Wesley, we've got a problem!" the man fumed. "I just heard the news on the radio: Sunnydale's been destroyed. And that means…"

He didn't seem to notice the guests sitting and staring at him with wide eyes while he stared at the TV screen. "The world ends," he gestured to the TV where a big crater was shown. "And Buffy..."

At this Buffy stood up and placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "Buffy is here." she said softly.

The man turned around and stared at her. Then he reached out and hugged her tightly to his chest. "You're here! Thank God, you're alive!"

"Yeah, we had a lot of losses but in the end we did it. The world's safe."

"And Sunnydale?"

"There is no Sunnydale anymore, Angel," Buffy answered and loosened his grip on her gently. "It's gone. "

"That's why we're here, DB." Xander put in. "We need a place to stay."

"You never change, do you, Xander?" Angel asked, eyeing him. "If _you're_ staying, don't call me DB."

"Sure. I'll watch my mouth." Xander promised and smiled. He would never admit it, but he had missed Angel. He had missed the fights, the rows they had. He even missed fighting side by side against the fiends of hell.

"That means we can stay?" Buffy beamed at her ex. "Thank you, Angel. It's not for long, I promise."

"We'll see about that; you can stay as long as you want," he assured her. "Gunn and Fred will show you your rooms when you're finished with your drinks.

With these words Angel left the group and headed up a marble staircase to the first landing. He stopped to tell Fred and Gunn to get the best rooms ready for the group in the hall and then hurried into his own room. The vampire closed the door and walked slowly to his bed. 'She's really here", he thought as he lay down, 'Here in LA, in my house. And she's safe...'

Holding his ex-girlfriend for the second time in less than a week brought back a rush of memories Angel had tried to suppress for a long time now. The two of them kissing in her room, dancing together at prom…Her seventeenth birthday–he would never forget that night as long as he existed. They had spent their first night together. Naturally the passion grew and they ended up in bed, which had lifted the curse and turned back into Angelus, but Angel didn't regret a second of their night together. Unfortunately the memory of this night brought back another, a more painful one. For one day, twenty-four glorious hours, he was human. And Buffy was with him. They ate chocolate and ice cream and yogurt. Buffy felt his heart beat. They were together in the sun. But it was too good to be true. Angel had confronted the Oracles and learned that Buffy would have to die much earlier than necessary if he stayed human. So he had begged the Oracles to turn back time. They did, so that day had never happened…except in Angel's memory.

"It's better that way", he whispered into the dark. "Better to live without her and she's alive than living in a world where she doesn't exist."

But now she was here. Angel could still feel her in his arms and smell the sweet scent of her skin and hair.

"No," he told himself sternly. "Stop thinking about her. You're not good enough for her! Remember what happened, when we where too close the last time?"

A gentle knock on his door brought him back to reality.

"Angel?" a quiet voice called. "May I come in?"

""Sure, the door's open, Buffy", he replied and readjusted himself in a sitting position. "Is there a problem?"

"That's what I wanted to ask you", the blonde slayer answered. "You almost ran up here. I know you well enough to tell that there's something wrong with you."

Buffy sat down next to Angel and looked at him with a gaze that gave the vampire the feeling of being x-rayed.

"Nothing's wrong," he hedged, "What gave you that impression?"

"Angel, please. You can't hide anything from me. You never could." Smiling, the slayer put a hand on his shoulder. "You can talk to me, whatever it is."

Angel sighed. How could he tell his ex-girlfriend that he was still in love with her? 'I left her, for christ's sake', the vampire thought angrily. 'She probably hates me for that.'

"I know, Buffy. But I can't talk about it right now, okay?"

"Sure", Buffy replied, smiling. "Whenever you're ready. I was just concerned. So, will you come down with me or are you staying here and brooding?"

Angel couldn't help but grin. "I'll stay and brood a little and than I'll come down. Promised."

"Okay. See you downstairs." Buffy gave Angel a swift kiss on the cheek and left the room without another word.

Absentmindedly Angel stroked his cheek, where Buffys kiss still burned. A sad smile flashed over his face. It would always be like this: They where close and yet not close. All he ever wanted was her. The slayer. Darla was right in the end. He was sick. Lovesick. She was in his thoughts, his cold heart, in his soul, in everything. Angel sighed, stood up and walked slowly to his bedroom door. 'I bet she moved on. Like I wanted her to. Idiot.' the vampire thought as he opened the door to the corridor and made his way down the stairs to join his guests in the hall.

"Hey, DB." Xander greeted him cheerfully and clapped one hand onto Angel's shoulder.

"I thought I had asked you not to call me that", Angel growled. "But nevertheless: I'm glad to see you all. Really."

Dawn stood up from the floor and rushed to hug him. "We're glad, too! And I swear, I'll never say you're an asshole ever again!"

"Dawn!" Buffy said, shocked.

"It's okay", Angel reassured her. "I know Dawnie hates me."

"Hated, Angel. I used to hate you. But what came after you," Dawn replied, her eyes rolling, "was nothing more than a waste of time!"

"Okay, enough comments about my non-existent love life, alright?"

"What? I'm right, aren't I? Parker was just an idiot and Riley was nice. But not for you", said Dawn, shrugging and sticking her tongue out at her older sister. "And Spike – I'd better not mention him."

Dawn pulled a face and faked a shudder. Xander smirked at her and addressed Buffy.

"You know, she's right. In every way. But, ok. Enough comments here. Where can we sleep, Angel? I remember you telling us someone would show us our rooms."

"Right. Go with Fred and Gunn, they'll show you your rooms. I

have...well I've got something to do or I would show them to you myself."

A slender girl with soft brown curls made her way slowly to the group. A young African-American man with a bald head followed her. "I'm..I'm Fred," the girl said with a shy glance to Xander. "And that's Gunn. If you wanna follow us, please."

The group drained their glasses and followed Fred and Gunn to the rooms on the second story. They couldn't believe their eyes. Every room was at least as big as the main room of the now demolished Magic Box, and included a luxurious bathroom equipped with a big claw foot bathtub, a bedroom and a mini bar attached to a little kitchen sideboard. It was like a dream coming true.

"Woah, not bad. Not bad at all." Xander murmured and gave an impressed nod. "I knew he liked me!"

They went downstairs again to get their few things out of the trailer and thanked Angel for his kindness. The vampire waved it off and told them that it was his pleasure.

In the evening, Buffy decided to read a book, something she hadn't done in a long time. She loved reading, but due to her destiny she never had much time or patience for purely recreational pursuits of a literary nature. So she had borrowed a copy of _Pride and Prejudice_ Giles had managed to save from the ruins of Sunnydale, fixed a cup of tea and made herself comfy on the large sofa in her room. She hadn't gotten past more than three pages when a quiet knock at her door interrupted her reading.

"Come in." she called, putting the book aside.

"I hope I didn't disturb you…" Dawn apologized, eyeing the book and steaming cup of tea.

"You didn't, sweetie. Is there a problem?"

"Well, yeah. But not with me," Dawn promised when she noticed the worried look on her sister's face. "It's – ok, it's about you."

"About me? What did I do?" Puzzled, Buffy scooted over on the sofa and gestured for her sister to sit.

"Nothing, really. It's just that I wanted to talk to you about something."

"And that something would be…?"

"Don't hit me," Dawn pleaded, only half-jokingly, "but it's about you and Angel."

_**I promise that I won't keep you waiting such a long time again. Lots of love and greets from Germany, gummy  
**_


End file.
